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Creating the right balance between energy efficient ventilation systems and a healthy working environment- Paul Kilburn, Vent-Axia?s Group Sales and Marketing Director discusses:

Commercial Air Management, whether it is heating, cooling or ventilation, is about providing a comfortable healthy working environment for all. Decent indoor air quality is crucial to the successful performance of any building.

An effective ventilation system is seen as a key factor in reducing the oppressive atmosphere created by hot, stuffy working conditions. The introduction of fresh air and the subsequent removal of airborne contaminants greatly contribute towards a more productive workforce and are an essential part of providing a comfortable working environment.

In many commercial buildings, particularly older ones, ventilation is achieved either by the occupants opening windows or from natural air infiltration percolating through gaps in the building fabric. This can result in excessive ventilation rates that increase energy consumption and cause discomfort to occupants due to cold draughts. Too much ventilation is wasteful of energy, but too little ventilation is detrimental to the health and well being of both the occupants as well as to the building fabric.

Clearly, in an energy-efficient building, keeping ventilation and leakage to a minimum level required is desirable. The way to achieve adequate ventilation with minimal waste of heat is to implement a well thought-out ventilation strategy that provides a proper balance between energy efficiency and indoor air quality. To implement such a strategy it is important for designers to take into consideration the technological advances that have been made in ventilation and to utilise such systems to help them achieve a workable balance.

The fundamentally new approach to the Building Regulations is necessitating designers to learn how to meet whole-building carbon targets (Part L2A) ? supported by the freely available SBEM (Simplified Building Energy Model) and the various commercial software packages to calculate the energy used by a building.

Heat recovery ventilation is designed for recovering heat that would otherwise be lost using normal extract ventilation. HRV products can be either single room units or wholebuilding systems.

Stale air is extracted from the room or the whole building; while at the same time air from outside is brought into the room/buildings offering a balanced intake/extract system. The two air paths flow through a heat exchanger where a significant amount of heat from the extracted air is transferred to the incoming air and delivered back into the room or buildings.

With many commercial properties being built today, the principle is to ?build tight ? ventilate right?, minimising uncontrolled air leakage through the building envelope and providing an adequate ventilation rate via a controlled system. Reducing air leakage is essential with new build properties being tightly built, optimising ventilation and heat recovery are the key to providing a comfortable environment.

Whilst the emphasis is on providing filtered, fresher air and the displacement/extraction of stale air and allergens to keep employees healthy, there is also a clear focus on energy saving too. In the quest for energy savings consistent with proper air quality and with the ability to recover as much as 95% of heat from a ventilated room, heat recovery systems provide a real means of achieving both the air flow requirements for human comfort in Part F and the energy efficiency requirements of Part L with full controllability.

Heat recovery provides a great basis to start to build an air management strategy and designers have to employ the latest advances in technology to meet the Building Regulations. There are a number of specifically designed products that assist designers to meet and exceed these requirements.

Advances in ventilation technology include key factors as balancing carbon dioxide levels in a school classroom, providing adequate ventilation of toilet and shower blocks, cooling of offices in summer, efficiently heating meeting rooms in winter and the management of emissions from specialist areas such as laboratories, fire exits and industrial kitchens.

Air handling units provide designers with the option to control indoor air quality by room, by floor or for the entire building, whether in an office, classroom, factory, hospital or leisure centre. Air handling units are a common way of creating a good working environment and Vent-Axia?s new modular Viking FP and XP Air Handling range is specifically designed for commercial applications and provide a selection of cooling, heating, filtration, heat recovery and humidifier modules, allowing building designers increased flexibility in specifying solutions to meet their design and ventilation needs while balancing the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and Building Regulations Parts F and L.

Advances in technology have helped property managers analyse buildings` energy consumption and develop strategies to manage energy more efficiently resulting in lower total operating costs.

Another example of this is Vent-Axia?s Sentinel demand ventilation system, which helps to protect the environment with energy efficient on-demand ventilation for commercial buildings in line with new legislation. This system utilises the latest control and EC/DC motor technology to respond to the exact ventilation requirements of a room at any one time – supplying or extracting when and to the level required, therefore using only the energy that is necessary. This innovative method overcomes many of the issues encountered with a traditional fixed volume ventilation system that is either on or off irrespective of the number of people in the room, thus risking over ventilation of the room and wasting valuable money and energy.

Triggered by people entering/leaving a room or by the atmospheric conditions in the area, automatic sensors and controllers manage the Sentinel according to maximum demand requirements of the building zone. The system then controls airflow and pressure to maintain the indoor air quality within preset limits, including balancing carbon dioxide levels, temperature, humidity and air quality itself. The Sentinel system is the ideal solution for designers; its innovative technology not only saves energy but the system creates and maintains a healthy working environment.

Significant advances have been made by Vent-Axia in the use of LoWatt DC motor and heat recovery technology, which according to their usage can save as much as half of the electrical power consumption. The Sentinel uses the latest EC/DC motor technology, drawing a low specific fan power, designed to meet modern building management control requirements. By controlling the atmospheric levels in the room, carbon dioxide levels can be kept within the prescribed limits, required by Building Bulletin 101 ? a must for school classrooms and learning environments.

Today’s health and environmentally aware design philosophies, it is critical to the success of a commercial building to provide indoor air quality suitable for a productive working environment whilst using the minimum amount of energy possible, in line with the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, Part L and indeed Part F of the Building Regulations.

New regulations and legislation are challenging Property Managers to bring their buildings up to the required standard that are now being demanded, however, by considering such technological advances and using systems that already exceed these new rules, building engineers can provide healthy environments which use the minimum amount of energy.

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Eaton MEM panelboards and distribution boards were specified for the electrical refurbishment programme in one of the best-known buildings in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The programme included replacing more than 30 MEM fused combination switch (FCS) units, installed more than 30 years ago and still working well, by two of the company?s latest MCCB panelboards.

York House Twickenham is a Grade II listed building that houses the Municipal Offices for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The elegant building, dating back to the 17th Century, houses the Mayor?s Parlour, the Council Room, two public halls and committee rooms. Meanwhile the Civic Centre next door, opened in 1990, houses most of the Council Staff.

The programme to upgrade the electrical distribution system in York House involved replacing more than 30 FCS units in the main switchroom and a similar number of distribution boards around the building. These have been replaced by modern MCCB panelboards and MCB distribution boards respectively. At the same time old paper-insulated lead-sheathed sub-mains cables, that had been part of the original 1920s electrical installation, were replaced by modern cables.

The existing fused combination switches were all MEM units, installed in the early 1970s. They have been replaced by two of the latest Eaton MEM panelboards and Series G moulded-case circuit-breakers. MCCBs require little or no maintenance, trip safely to protect a circuit and can be reset safely and easily by staff with limited electrical expertise, explains Paul Cook, Facilities Manager for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The panelboards are designed around the Series G MCCBs. The panelboards and devices are independently certified by KEMA to the international switchgear standard IEC60947-2.

The main panelboard is an 18-way unit with a 250A MCCB incomer. Most of the outgoing circuits have 63A three-phase MCCBs but there is also a 160A MCCB supplying a new kitchen area and a 200A device feeding the existing switchgear. There is 25-30% spare capacity.

The second panelboard is a smaller, six-way, essential services panel feeding computers, emergency lighting, the Council Chamber and one of the large public halls. These can be fed by a newly-refurbished 80kVA diesel generator to ensure that important Council meetings can proceed in the event of a sustained power failure.

New Memshield 2 distribution boards have been used throughout. These are mainly 12-way Type B (three-phase) units and replace two or three old single-phase MCB distribution boards in each location. Single-phase distribution had tended to result in unbalanced loading across the phases says Paul Cook. While the use of MCBs for final circuit protection was forward-thinking in the 1970s, the old distribution boards did not have a main switch for isolation whereas the new Memshield 2 boards all have incoming isolators.

RCBO (combined MCB and residual current) protection is provided on each outgoing power circuit, not only for personal safety but also to reduce the fire risk in the Grade II listed building. 30mA devices are used where personal protection against electric shock is paramount and 100mA devices where fire is the principal risk.

The Grade II listing meant that work had to be carried out with a minimum of structural change. Existing ducts and cable routes had to be utilised wherever possible. This called for weekend working to allow power to be switched off while old cables were withdrawn and new cables drawn in.

A third panelboard has been installed in the neighbouring Civic Centre where the requirements of modern computer installations have outstripped the original electrical provision, necessitated reinforcement of the electricity supply. The EDF substation has been upgraded from 500kVA to 1MVA and the communications centre has an 80kVA UPS system and a new 250kVA emergency generator.

The electrical upgrade for York House and the Civic Centre has been designed and managed by its own Facilities Manager, Paul Cook, and the installation work has been carried out by EDF Contracting.

?If the new Eaton MEM equipment serves as well as the old MEM switchgear, that has been in use for more than 30 years, we will be more than happy? says Paul Cook. He chose Eaton MEM panelboards and distribution boards because they are solid and reliable and offer the range of features which were needed. They are also designed with the needs of the installer in mind.

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A system of Mapei products has been used in the rebuild and refurbishment of the RNLI Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh, Northumberland, which commemorates a young heroine; who at the age of 22 set out in treacherous seas with her father to rescue the survivors of the SS Forfarshire on 7 September 1838.

Tiling contractors W Rogerson & Sons installed 130m2 of high quality Burlington Elterwater Slate to the floor, to a complex design by David & Jane Darcy Architects, which featured curved walls, circular columns, inset floor lighting and a curved stair with inset nosings. Mapei’s Keraquick adhesive in Grey was specified for this installation not only for it’s suitability for this type of material but also for its fast setting and flexible properties. The joints of the slate were then grouted with Mapei Ultracolor Plus, fast-setting and drying, flexible cementitious grout in 113 Cement Grey to complement the slate, then movement joints were sealed with Mapei Mapesil AC silicone sealant in 113 Cement Grey, both products are available in 26 matching colours.

The refurbishment of the project proceeded after receiving financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other trusts and was subject to a high media profile campaign that was followed by local press and TV, therefore David & Jane Darcy Architects, main contractor D.P. Builders Ltd and tiling contractor W Rodgerson & Sons were determined to ensure that the floor finish was not only aesthetic but also of the highest possible quality. Burlington Elterwater slate with a flamed finish was laid in a varying width, random length stretcher bond throughout the ground floor area in order to visually unify several different areas in this small but complex project.

Since the museum opened to the public in December the floor has been much appreciated and commented upon by visitors.

RNLI Grace Darling Museum recently fought off fierce competition to be short-listed for the 2008 TTA Award ‘Best Use of Tile in a Small Construction Contract’.

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Wellington House, Aberdeen, is a modern and visually attractive, 2 storey commercial office development by Knight Real Estate in a prime location some 2 miles south of the city centre.

Comprising around 25,000 ft2 of clean and airy grade ‘A’ open plan accommodation complete with high grade finishes, energy efficient glazing and a contemporary styled reception area, the complex also features top of the range Daikin VRV heat recovery air conditioning, installed by Aberdeen based Daikin D1 dealers, Active Air Conditioning Ltd.

The air conditioning comprises 15 REYQ VRV systems with capacities between 33.5 and 44.5kW (cooling) and 37.5 and 50.0kW (heating) supplying a total of 168 Daikin FXSQ concealed ceiling indoor fan coil units. The high quantity of fan coil units provides the developer with very flexible design options for future tenant fit out requirements. Conditioned air, mixed with fresh air within the false ceiling plenum, is supplied to the accommodation areas via low pressure ducting connected to 600mm diameter ceiling mounted swirl diffusers. Internal temperature is maintained at 220C on a year round basis.

Use of VRV heat recovery systems enables heat exhausted from fan coil units operating in cooling mode to be transferred to those areas requiring heating, maximising energy efficiency, reducing electrical consumption and CO2 emissions and resulting in high COPs and EERs at all load conditions. All VRV outdoor condensing units are located in a purpose built compound to the rear of the building.

The air conditioning systems are monitored and controlled on each floor by Daikin Intelligent Touch controllers mounted within lockable cupboards. Future control options are also available to incoming tenants by virtue of wall mounted room temperature controllers located throughout the building to suit design layout requirements.

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Invincible II, that?s the name of Thorn?s new range of sealed luminaires for healthcare and industrial cleanrooms. And Invincible they really are… in more ways than one.

Perhaps the most appealing feature of the Invincible II is its low frame profile and lack of external fasteners, which makes it delightfully easy to clean. The smooth, extruded aluminum frame with toughened safety glass shields either a prismatic diffuser or louvre for accurate lighting control. It has an IP65 protection classification (IP54 from above) and a “self regulating breather” which prevents any air and moisture ingress in and around the seals.

Available in standard modular sizes the range employs T16 or TC-L lamps to give maximum light output for minimal energy consumption. Integrated emergency and digital dimmable options add further flexibility.

Invincible II is compatible with most exposed tee, concealed tee, spring tee and solid ceiling systems. Maintenance for the contractor is quick and easy thanks to the front frame?s internal locking mechanism that is simply opened by a suction cup.

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The numerous properties belonging to Bournemouth Borough Council are constantly undergoing repair and maintenance programmes, and as the demand towards more sustainable practice increases, so does the need for products and systems that offer far more than just a short-term solution.

To this end, the housing department at Bournemouth is using Zinsser paints for both the interior and the exterior redecoration of the properties, as Carl Falla, decorating supervisor at the Council, explains: “At Bournemouth, we are dedicated to achieving the Decent Homes Standard, set out by the Government, by 2010. Since 2004, we have been using Zinsser Permawhite Exterior for the fascias and soffits to the external envelope of the properties. For internal areas where mould and mildew have taken hold, such as the kitchens and bathrooms, Zinsser Permawhite Interior Paint has been applied.”

Permawhite guarantees no mould or mildew growth on the paint film for up to five years, and has a 15-year guarantee against blistering and flaking. Formulated to withstand harsh conditions, Permawhite is self-priming and extremely fast drying. It can also be tinted to any pastel or mid-tone colour and provides the added benefit of being low odour.

One of the major aims of the council is to extend the maintenance period between recoats and this is being achieved with Permawhite. Externally this significantly reduces the costs and risks associated with working at height, including the cost and inconvenience of scaffolding and platforms. Internally, Permawhite provides a solution when it is needed, as Carl continues: “Where condensation has occurred, Permawhite is invaluable as it not only covers the problem, but being backed by a five-year guarantee, it reduces the need to redecorate as often. Drying times are much quicker which means that there is minimum disruption to tenants and we have a choice of colours. In all, Zinsser Permawhite offers us the most cost-effective redecorating solution.”

Mould and mildew can occur wherever mould spores find sufficient moisture and food to grow. Mould and mildew cause unsightly stains, generate bad odours, and over time deteriorate the material on which they feed.

Permawhite controls the problem by preventing the growth of bacteria on the cured paint film, while providing a durable and attractive finish. Used internally as a two-coat system, this eliminates the need for sanding, filling and other time-consuming preparation, and for the budget-conscious public sector, this enables specifiers to significantly reduce the costs of labour and materials.

By allowing comprehensive priming protection, the Zinsser range extends the durability of the finish coat. This is achieved through the unique adhesion qualities of the product, which is specially formulated to firmly anchor the product to even the most challenging surfaces without the need for sanding or deglossing. Thus the surface is sealed so effectively that more high quality resin remains on the surface, making the topcoat more durable and impact resistant.

This falls into line with the Council’s own standard – the Bournemouth Standard – which represents a proposed standard of housing reached with the consultation and agreement of the tenants and leaseholders, and which goes beyond that of the Decent Homes initiative. “Part of our Standard is that we promise to deliver value for money,” concludes Carl, “and using Permawhite, that is exactly what we do. Additionally, good maintenance procedure equates to considerable savings over the long term, as value for money products and materials provide greater durability and do not continuously drain maintenance resources.

“With over 300 properties a year to maintain, it is vital that the products used meet all the criteria for sustainability and performance. Using Zinsser Permawhite paint, long lasting durability is assured.”

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With effect from 15th May 2008, AMTECH Group, the UK’s largest building services software company, has acquired NES Specification Expert (SPEX), the market’s leading software for creating and managing specification documents.

“The NES software suite provides a perfect complement to our popular software products within both the AMTECH and Estimation brands,” commented AMTECH Group managing director Mark Tindall. “NES users can be assured of a high level of support from AMTECH and we have some exciting plans to develop the product further. These include integration with other market-leading products and the introduction of powerful new technologies that are being developed within the Group,” he continued.

Compiled and maintained in association with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA), NES is an invaluable tool for anyone producing building services specifications. It contains comprehensive, up-to-date specification clauses for use in any form of contract, backed by range of time-saving tools such as audit trail creation, check lists and standard formatting of sections.

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MITA Cable Management Specialists have launched a new range of wire cable trays.

The innovative aemsa cable tray system provides a complete solution for the fast and effective installation of power and data cables.

The design is based on a double transverse wire which gives greater overall strength and loading capacity and incorporates a smooth safety edge, thereby reducing potential to damage cables and providing protection to the hands of the installer.

Aemsa tray is available in 3 depths ? 70mm as standard, 35mm and 105mm. Widths range from 60mm – 600mm with a standard tray length of three metres and a choice of three finishes: electro-zinc, hot dip galvanised or stainless steel.

Ease of installation is a key benefit of aemsa. Any type of bend or junction can be formed/manufactured on site using only side angled bolt cutters and clamps. This provides flexibility in installation, particularly when unexpected obstacles crop up.

Quick fit couplers join tray sections together and avoid the need for special tools, whilst the fast fix brackets and clips used for fixing the trays to ceiling and wall brackets further reduces installation time.

An innovative design and a wide range of brackets and support puts MITA?s aemsa wire cable tray at the forefront of the market.

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World leading mini excavator manufacturer Kubota has achieved a major milestone, with UK sales of their machines now having topped 30,000; becoming the first manufacturer to do so in the British market.

Kubota are providing the opportunity for everyone to share in this success, with the chance to win a KX61-3 mini excavator worth around £20,000.

This special 30,000th machine has been generously donated by Kubota as the superb prize in a charity draw, with proceeds in aid of the Lighthouse Club Benevolent Fund (The Construction Industry Charity).

Tickets cost just £5.00 each and will be available from Kubota Construction Equipment dealers and Lighthouse Club contacts, as well as on Kubota stands at various events around the country, throughout the year, with the actual draw then to take place on Monday 10th November 2008.

Richard Harrison, Kubota UK Sales & Marketing Manager, said: “We are proud to be celebrating record-breaking sales and would like to thank all our customers for making this possible, as well as our nationwide network of specialist construction dealers for their continuing sales effort and outstanding customer support.”

Kubota is the UK, European and world leader in mini excavators and offers the widest range of machines available from a single manufacturer. Customers can select from 18 base models spanning the weight range from 850 kg to 8 tonnes and including the largest selection of increasingly popular zero tail swing machines.

All Kubota minis, from 1.5 tonne upwards, feature their unique 'ANTI-THEFT' system. This complete, easy-to-use security device was the first and is still the only one of its kind fitted as standard equipment by a mini excavator manufacturer.

With a legendary reputation for quality, performance, reliability and excellent resale values, their productivity and versatility make them the ideal tool for many different applications and end-users, from civil engineering to landscaping and plant hire companies to owner operators.

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The latest product to be added to the Ancon range offers protection to exposed edges of columns and walls in areas of high traffic.

Ancon ‘Corner Guards’ are manufactured in standard lengths of 1250mm in either stainless steel, galvanised steel or untreated mild steel. Stainless steel provides the greatest corrosion resistance and, where aesthetics are important, can be supplied with a satin-polished surface finish.

Wavy-tailed U-shaped lugs are welded to the reverse to provide a secure anchorage in concrete. The profile of these lugs has been designed to avoid clashes with reinforcing bars and to aid concrete flow.

Two standard angle sizes of 50 x 50mm and 75 x 75mm suit the majority of applications; both sizes can also be supplied without lugs for surface-fixing.

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